Exposed and Blank Eyes
by SkullszEyes
Summary: The Scarecrow was meant to watch over The Penguin's shipments, expect a group decided to interrupt that. The Scarecrow wants vengeance before The Penguin takes it out on him.
1. Chapter 1

Early on a Tuesday morning, The Scarecrow was making sure the shipments that came in was properly checked, mostly the illegal guns and drugs that were smuggled into the city. Some of it was alcohol that The Penguin liked to drink, other than that, most of the merchandise was food products and expensive furniture.

The Penguin may be clever, but the trail was still open and more gangsters from the Narrows arrived at one of the warehouses at the docks. Several of the workers were shot, others were cut open with long knives.

The Scarecrow hid, watching them carefully, he checked the fear gas and the tubes that clung to his fingers where they'd release with a simple button. His left hand clutched the scythe that would properly help him dispatch the men and woman that decided to interrupt business.

His first reaction was to cut them all to pieces and let them twitch on the ground. His next would be to call The Mad Hatter and get him to grab some of his personnel to assist the damage of The Penguin's employees.

Except he wasn't able to when he didn't realize someone had come up behind him, and slammed a metal bat against the back of his head. He gasped, falling forward as pain spasmed through his entire body, and his eyes began to blur.

"Hey, look what we have, The Scarecrow," one of the men said with a laugh.

His mask was taken from his head, and his brown hair fluffed out in his face before he shook his head and slowly looked up, glaring at the men and woman walking toward him.

"Who would have known we'd have our hands on The Scarecrow," a different man spoke, a grin on his lips, a woman stood beside him smiling alongside everyone else.

Jonathan Crane's eyes burned with contempt, but it was too late, even if he wanted to get up, the same man who slammed the bat against his head, kicked him in the side of his face. A gasp was stuck in his throat, and the world spun.

He didn't know how long it went on for, but the pain wouldn't stop, and his clothes were ripped from his body, torn away, blood oozed from his nose and split lip, copper tasted on his tongue from his throat, and his sight came in-and-out.

He couldn't think of anything else, but flashes of his father and his mother appeared in his head, the laughter and growling of the scarecrow crawling its way toward him, enveloping him in a hold that left him screaming.

He recalled the time when he met The Mad Hatter in Arkham after they captured him when he decided to continue his father's legacy. Everyone needed to know that he was the master of fear.

Jervis Tetch, a smile on his lips, and insanity in his eyes, the words of songs leaving his lips, and the anger harsh and spitting.

He heard someone yelling when the silence came, he was breathing slowly through his nose that had dried blood clogging his nostril, he could still taste the copper in his mouth, and his lip was dry and cut open.

"Mr. Crane!" He couldn't raise his head, or move his arms, but he felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him. "Are you okay?"

"What happened?" The Penguin asked, his voice calm, but there was an underlying rage that was directed at Jonathan.

"Mr. Crane, are you okay?"

He felt something prod his chest. "Hey, what happened?"

"Give him space, Penguin." A hand touched Jonathan's chin and as his head was lifted, it was The Mad Hatter who was knelt in front of him, a look of concern on his face, his eyes tender, and his lips turned down in a frown. "They beat him up pretty good."

"He'll get over it," The Penguin said, shaking his head, a hand on his cane as he looked around the warehouse, he waved at a few of his men standing in the background, "get this place cleaned up."

Jonathan trembled, he blinked a few times and he could feel his eyes watering.

The Mad Hatter noticed and his frown deepened. He took out a pocket knife and cut the duct tape that bound Jonathan to a metal pole. Then he wiped away the tears from Jonathan's face.

"Don't want any of them seeing the Master of Fear crying, now do we?"

The Penguin wobbled back toward them, holding Jonathan's mask that had been taken from him. He dropped it in his lap, and The Mad Hatter took it and placed it over Jonathan's head.

"There," he said, a quirk of a smile pulled at the corner of his lips, "now that you're more like yourself, can you recall anything that happened?"

"I don't," The Scarecrow's voice was quiet and hoarse, he figured he was screaming when they beat him, but he didn't know how long, "know who they were. I don't know why they were here."

The Mad Hatter nodded slowly, he stood and walked over to The Penguin who narrowed a glare at The Scarecrow.

"He must know something."

"They didn't wear anything to indicate who they were," The Scarecrow said, he gripped the side of the metal pole and tried to rise from the floor. The Mad Hatter walked over to him and helped him to his feet. "They wore no face paint, just black clothes, no hoods, no masks, just metal bats."

"Just men?" The Penguin asked.

The Scarecrow shook his head. "Women too."

The Penguin nodded, "We'll find out who they were. From your wounds, you should get cleaned up, and checked for a head injury." With that, he walked over to his men standing by a series of opened crates.

"I'll clean you up," The Mad Hatter offered, tilting his head to the side, and they both walked through the warehouse toward the entrance. There were more of Penguin's affiliates crowding the area, and for a moment, it made The Scarecrow shudder. He couldn't be on the Penguin's bad side because he managed to screw up a shipment, he wouldn't know what to do if that happened.

He was efficient, he knew that, and he knew the consequences as well. He wasn't absurd, he'd have to make this right somehow.

The Mad Hatter lead him toward a car where a man opened the door for them. They got into the back seat, and as they settled, and the car began to move. The Mad Hatter turned to him right away, and took off The Scarecrow's mask.

A sudden gasp left his lips, he went still as Jervis Tetch touched his jaw softly with his gloved hand and turned his head toward him. There was a softness on his face, a warmth in his eyes, yet there was also disinterest that Jonathan could easily distinguish.

"You really messed with the wrong person, Mr. Crane," Jervis said, amusement obvious in his tone.

"Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?" Jonathan wondered, arching a brow.

"This isn't a game," Jervis said, dropping his hand. "Oswald will want retribution, and if he doesn't find the people who has done this, he'll turn his rage onto you."

"That's a little melodramatic, don't you think?"

Jervis straightened, giving Jonathan his mask back. "It's a decent enough warning for you."

"I know what I got myself into when I decided to don this mask," Jonathan said, placing it over his head once more, all his fear and rage coiled within itself in the pit of his stomach, making him calmer on the outside, and letting him think of what he was going to do next.

He was not inept, disappointed maybe, but he'd make this right when he could.

"I'll always be here for you," The Mad Hatter whispered, as if it were a secret that he would tell himself, but Jonathan has heard it many times since they met, and he wasn't sure how he was meant to take it. It was hard enough finding people in this city to trust. "Just let me take care of you and then you can hunt down the people who did this."

Underneath the mask, Jonathan smiled, and he knew The Scarecrow itself was pleased with what he was going to do when he locates the culprits, he'd slowly dissolve them in their own fears, a horror they won't ever live out.

The car came to a stop in front of a building that The Mad Hatter owned. He led him inside through several empty hallways that were narrow and smelled of mildew, they climbed a set of stairs to the second floor and he walked into a room with a wide window. There were chairs and couches sitting on the sides, round tables beside them with plants sitting on top, including a picture of a young woman.

The Mad Hatter pulled out a chair and smiled at The Scarecrow. "Sit. Let's clean the blood off and check out the wound on the back of your head."

It didn't hurt as he thought it would, he didn't feel dizzy, but there were moments when his eyes blurred out. He sat down on the chair and slowly took off the mask, he always felt as if he was going to have an anxiety attack when he revealed his face, but this time, he was calm when he was around The Mad Hatter.

Jervis smiled at him, a sort of longing in his eyes before he turned and went to grab a bottle of antiseptic, cotton and a cloth.

This was dangerous, they were incredibly vulnerable together like this. Except there was no one here, it was just them and the silence that ached. Jonathan looked down at his hands, they were dirty with smeared blood on the fingers. He figured he had touched his face before they duct taped him to the metal pole.

Jervis walked back into the room with a pleased smile on his face. He sat down and moved closer to Jonathan. Tilting his chin up, he started working on wiping away the blood from Jonathan's nose and lip, he seemed to wipe away more along his face and Jonathan wondered if it smeared there as well.

Most of them were cold to each other, like The Penguin, he was betrayed by mostly everyone he came to trust, and now he stares at them with callous in his eyes, and it flexed in his fingers, and the words he speaks. All of it mechanical and with absolute purpose.

There was something about The Mad Hatter that was genuine in what he did. He was as cold and cruel as The Penguin, but like Jerome Valeska, he also liked to play with his food. When he spoke with Jonathan himself, there was something captivating in his eyes, a gaze that made Jonathan confused and aware of his own presence.

His chest tightened at the thought, even how tender Jervis's fingers were being, and his eyes glancing over Jonathan's wounds as the blood was wiped away. He was careful, methodical, and sure.

"Is something wrong?" Jervis asked, he got off his chair and rounded the one Jonathan sat in to check his wound on the back of his head.

"No, nothing," Jonathan said, his fingers wringing at the impossible thoughts running through his head. He stayed still while Jervis checked his wound, his hands soft through his hair that it sent a shiver down Jonathan's back.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Jonathan nodded. "I'm just eager to go after whoever attacked me."

"With this wound? You might have a concussion," Jervis said.

Jonathan got up, and Jervis's brows arched. "I don't care, they attacked me, made The Penguin angry, and if I don't find them and do something about it, it'll be on me."

They stared at one another, and then in a split moment, Jervis grasped his shoulders and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Jonathan's lips. It lingered, enough for Jonathan to understand what was happening, but the question remained, even when Jervis pulled back and smiled.

"Sorry, I wanted to do that for sometime."

"And this is the time you decided to?" Jonathan asked, annoyed, he picked up his mask, "when any hour now, I might die."

"That wasn't my intent," Jervis said, an edge in his voice, "I wanted too since we met in Arkham, but I didn't know, nor trust you."

"And you do now?" Jonathan asked, shaking his head and placing the mask on. "You should consider where you lie between us and the common folk. None of us should trust each other."

He didn't bother listening to Jervis and walked past him. His lips were like an imprint, lingering there, a heat on his cheeks, and an urge to go back and continue it. Except there was rage that rose inside of him, he needed to finish what _they_ started.


	2. Chapter 2

"Don't leave," The Mad Hatter said to The Scarecrow as they walked down the hall. The Mad Hatter chased after him, a concern on his face, but he didn't bother grabbing onto The Scarecrow like he did seconds ago where a kiss sent a current through The Scarecrow's system, it was more disorienting than getting hit in the back of the head.

"And let The Penguin kill me for being inept?" The Scarecrow asked, shaking his head. "Don't be absurd, Mr. Tetch, I find them and kill them, then I won't be on Oswald's hit list."

"Of course, you don't mind if I come along, do you?" The Mad Hatter asked, "I do think that you're injuries might slow you down."

"I'm not afraid to die."

"As am I, Mr. Crane, but slow deaths were never my forte," The Mad Hatter said.

"It's really not that complicated," The Scarecrow countered. "I do think they'll masquerade with the effect that they managed to secure The Penguin's merchandise and possibly taking me out."

"You're that narcissistic?" The Mad Hatter asked, grinning.

"A reputation does hold when we commit to our misdeeds."

"I agree, and I hope they understand the consequences of going up against people who respectfully work for The Penguin, unless you want Jerome's assistance?"

The Scarecrow shook his head. "No, let's not add more to the damage."

They left the building and slipped into the car once more. They were quiet, which in turn helped The Scarecrow to think of who they were, and where they would go. They were people who wanted something from The Penguin, and he knew most of the gangs in the city, so it had to be a new gang that rose in its ranks, and decided to try to do something extremely risky.

He gave them credit for such an act that would lead to their deaths.

"We go to the Narrows," The Scarecrow said, "it's the only clue I can think of that makes sense for a group to target The Penguin. Who wouldn't be so stupid but cocky newcomers."

The Mad Hatter grinned. "Of course. Mr. Crane."

He thought of the kiss that left him surprised and angry. Not because Jervis had leaned forward and taken it, but because it seemed like the least opportune time to reveal how he felt. He settled with the thought of that maybe he was going to die and Jervis had taken the opportunity to reveal his feelings because of that, and that in on itself was misleading. A tact Jonathan wouldn't have considered, but there it was, on his lips, like some kind of reminder that he had messed up and he was on his way to find the people who had done it, and make it right.

Afterward, what would he do? Confront Jervis, or simply ignore him and have things go back to the way things were before Jervis's feelings came to light.

He looked out the window at the passing bleak buildings and bleaker citizens. He would do what he must when the time came.

The Narrows was an established place and they barely listened to anyone, it didn't matter, The Scarecrow wasn't here for all of them.

They got out of the car and he lead The Mad Hatter along the streets. There was already people watching them like rats scurrying into the darkness, hungry for what was going to happen, and maybe find a way to attack two men who were infamous in getting what they want when they wanted it.

It was innate for him to feel the way he felt, his fingers gripping his scythe, and he checked the fear gas in his hands. No one wanted to feel the perpetual amount of fear in an instant, it was the only thing that allowed them to skulk instead of confront them.

They passed buildings where The Scarecrow would linger and the people would stare, they were either menacing or cowards, but it didn't matter, none of them drew close to him and The Mad Hatter. He asked a few if they knew who had attacked The Penguin's warehouses, but no one knew, or none wanted to snitch on their fellow brethren.

It didn't matter, soon they would find them, and soon, it'll be over with.

They stopped in a club that was filled with people and bright flashing lights. The music pulsed against the walls as people with dark thick hair, either pulled up into spikes, or drawn out along naked shoulders with tattoos snaking down their arms where thick bands hung. A few had short cropped hair with metal embedded in their skin, their eyes were a haze of drugs they consumed in a dirty bathroom or outside in the alley, but the stink of cigarette's clung to the air, along with their sweat and the stale alcohol on their mouths.

Jonathan never consumed alcohol or drugs of this kind, but his father had put a needle in his skin and he had hallucinated for hours, trying his hardest to rid him of a fear that his father knew was inside of him.

Before he could truly walk through, eyeing the crowd and everyone who was inside, hoping that they could at least spot the people who had attacked the warehouse. A hand grasped his arm and dragged him back, and when he looked, it was a woman staring at him with wide eyes and blown pupils, her skin sparkled with glitter, and there was thick black liner outlining her eyes, her lips with plump and dark with lipstick.

"Why are you wearing that?" she asked, her voice sultry and low, she drew closer to him, her breasts touching his arm, and her other hand was on his waist, keeping him where he was. "Are you afraid of something?"

"No," he answered, trying to move away from her, "I'm not afraid of anything."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her lips widened into a smile, and something about that bothered him, "take off your mask, let me see your pretty face, if you're not afraid."

He didn't like it, he wasn't afraid of anything, but the action of taking off something that was his bothered him. He wouldn't let a drugged up girl tell him that he was afraid, so he did, he took off his mask and he stared at her coldly, leaning in.

"Am I so pretty now?"

"Yeah," she said, biting her lower lip, "you are, you should come with me, I'll make your night so much better." There was something about her that blurred the lines of what happened an hour ago and now.

Before he could answer, another hand grasped his arm, yanking him away from the girl and pulling him toward the stairs. The girl faded into the crowd as The Mad Hatter took him away from the club and out into the street.

"What are you doing?" Jonathan asked, pulling his arm from Jervis's hold.

"I should be asking you that," Jervis said, glaring at him, "she was baiting you, you do know that, right?"

"I do," Jonathan said, "I'm not stupid."

Jervis stepped closer, and Jonathan, who didn't like the challenge of being afraid didn't move from where he stood. "She knew who you were," Jervis said, low and annoyed, "she would have done something."

"I wouldn't let her," Jonathan said, glaring back at Jervis. "Don't think I'm that incompetent."

A frustrated noise escaped Jervis, then his hands grasped the sides of Jonathan's face and he kissed him, this time more desperate and demanding.

Jonathan's hands came to Jervis's arms, fingers digging into his skin, but he didn't budge from the kiss. His anger was still there, but there was a sort of relief when kissing Jervis, except he wouldn't let this confuse him. He shoved Jervis back, pulled his mask on and ran back into the club.

He stood at the top of the stairs and he released his fear gas on everyone inside of the club. In seconds the screams began to cripple most of them, some shriveled to the ground, curled up and clawing at their faces, while others attacked each other, or went running in different directions.

The Scarecrow descended the stairs and found the girl that was previously flirting with him. She was curled on the ground next to a few others, her nails had dug deep into her face and left red bubbled lines, she was breathing heavily and staring at something.

He reached down, grabbed her arm and looked her in the eyes. She started to scream, trying to get away from him.

"I remember you," he muttered, her smile had looked familiar, her face and makeup from the warehouse where she stood beside a few others. "You're one of them, where are the others?"

"Others?" she asked, shaking her head, "there's no one else."

"There's more to you," he said, growling, "now tell me where they are, the ones at the warehouse, your people who attacked me and The Penguin's shipment."

"They're not here, they're a few blocks at a bar…" she gasped, still trying to get away from him, "please let me go."

He dropped her hand and she scrambled from the ground, screaming toward the back door along with a few others.

"Did you get what you wanted?"

The Scarecrow turned to face The Mad Hatter who was standing a few feet from him.

"I was going to ask _you_ that."

"It wasn't my intention," The Mad Hatter stepped closer, "but the first kiss made me want more."

"My intent," The Scarecrow said, tilting his head to the side, "is to find the people who crossed The Penguin, and more importantly, me. I have no interest in kissing you while I'm locating them."

The Mad Hatter smiled, giving The Scarecrow a nod. "Of course. I apologize. Shall we get going?"

The Scarecrow nodded, and they went through the back door, the streets were empty as they headed for the bar the girl had spoken of. It was lucky that she was in the club, lucky that she hadn't fully recognized him with the drugs in her system as the lights flashed over his face. Either way, she was helpful.

The Mad Hatter stepped past him before The Scarecrow could walk through the door. "Let me try this time, we can get more information if they have my influence." He grinned and walked into the bar, The Scarecrow stayed outside for a few minutes, and when he didn't hear anything that couldn't possibly be considered failure, he walked inside.

Everyone was in a dead trance, staring directly at The Mad Hatter who was holding his watch.

"Pick out who was at The Penguin's warehouse, and we can call him to pick them up," The Mad Hatter said.

The Scarecrow walked past him and began searching for anyone that looked familiar. He grabbed a few, pulling them toward The Mad Hatter who told them to stay still. Then he came upon one that was standing by the end of the bar, he had a gun out, but it seemed too late before he was hypnotized.

The Scarecrow bent over and looked the man in the face. "Hello, do you remember me? You're the one who hit me in the back of the head."

The man didn't budge.

The Scarecrow grabbed his arm and dragged him to the forefront. "It's not all of them, but this one is the one who attacked me, and this one," he touched a man that was taller than he and The Mad Hatter, "was the one running the gang."

The Mad Hatter took out his phone. "That's all we need."

He proceeded to call The Penguin. The Scarecrow took off his mask and looked at each of the blank faces of the men and woman who attacked and left him duct taped to face the wrath of The Penguin. They probably didn't think that Oswald would have left him alive, or maybe they hoped he wouldn't have found them.

"Now that we have located them," The Mad Hatter said, which made Jonathan turn around, and in one step, Jervis pulled him closer by the waist and kissed him.

A warmth settled inside of Jonathan's body, and he relaxed, letting Jervis kiss him. When they pulled back, he felt as if he would curl in on himself, biting his lower lip and trying to stop his beating heart from escaping his chest.

"You're shy?" Jervis asked, amused.

"I'm not," Jonathan said, looking at Jervis, "it's not something I'd consider doing now that we're...not like normal people."

"I think we're normal," Jervis said, kissing him softly again.

This made Jonathan smile in the kiss, his hand on Jervis's arm. "Mad people only say they're normal."

"I don't mind either way," Jervis murmured, "just that I get to kiss you."

This time, Jonathan leaned forward, initiating the kiss, grasping onto Jervis's coat, their bodies pressed against each others. "You can kiss me any time," he said against his lips, and Jervis in turn devoured him.

By the time The Penguin arrived with a truck to load the hypnotized people, he gave Jervis and Jonathan a wry look.

"This is all of them?"

Jonathan nodded, he had put his mask back on. "Yes. Most of them, but all that matters is the leaders are there. They should give you more information on why they did this."

"By tonight," The Penguin said, "they won't be leaving an underground storage room for some time, a vat of chemicals should help motivate them."

He gave them a nod and walked out.

The Mad Hatter stood beside The Scarecrow. "Now that we got that over with, what shall we do?"

"I don't mind going back to your place," The Scarecrow said with a shrug.

The Mad Hatter grinned. "Come now, Mr. Crane, if you offer yourself up so easily, it won't be fun anymore."

Jonathan rolled his eyes under the mask. "Who said I was offering myself to you?" He walked past him toward the door and watched The Penguin and his crew disappear down the street. "Can we just go, I'd like to try some of your tea."

"Very well," The Mad Hatter said, tipping his head toward the people who were still hypnotized, "I wouldn't mind explaining the fundamentals of tea."

"Is this really going to be the start of our relationship?" The Scarecrow asked, pushing the door open, "we're going to talk about tea?"

"Depends on the circumstance, Mr. Crane, some of my tea aren't suited for light stomachs."

"Maybe I can show you some of my mixtures just so you'd shut up."

"Whatever gets us through the day."

The both of them walked down the street, talking about how they were going to bore each other, and mostly they were expected to continue with whatever romance had formed between them.


End file.
